Musket Volleys

[Durango]

I'm still thinking/hoping that the uneven gunfire is due to the units being low-level and/or inexperienced, and that with time they'll improve to the point that simultaneous gunfire becomes the norm for them.

Sounds exactly what I want as well.

Although for some odd reason, I prefer the look and sound of ragged gunfire rather than muskets going off at precisely the same time. Maybe it has something to do with the battlefield being an orchestra or an opera, with different weapons being instruments... No, I'm not a nutcase

Also, guns going off prematurely would be interesting.

Like in The Last Samurai, when the....well "Ashigaru Teppo" or whatever they would be stand in the forests facing the Samurai. One of them start to piss his pants and accidentally fires, with the result that everyone starts to panic and fire too soon. They got annihilated, and so should we in ETW if that happens.

I think that 'fire at will' is most likely to be what is producing the effect. There are plenty of other videos and screenshots which seem to show volley fire working exactly as it should.

You probably have to use the 'fire' button if you want a unit to fire as a volley rather than as and when each man feels like it.

I want to hear officers shout loudly whenever the commands are given:

"Make ready! Preeeeesent! Fire!"

And when the muskets go off, there should be a sound of flint striking the cap before the main ignition. This is extremely important!

[Nelson]

It could be exceedingly difficult for officers to prevent the men from firing once they had a mind to shoot. Unless a charge was conducted without flints it was all too tempting to fire at the enemy as soon as you could. When defending the temptation was to fire early and often because the men would become frightened or impatient. Good discipline was not unknown of course but more rare than many would believe.

One theory in the 18th century advocated free for all firing because it would lead to more shots. Waiting for others slowed the faster men. Regardless of the technique espoused by the generals, the men were still very hard to control.

[Durango]

It could be exceedingly difficult for officers to prevent the men from firing once they had a mind to shoot. Unless a charge was conducted without flints it was all too tempting to fire at the enemy as soon as you could. When defending the temptation was to fire early and often because the men would become frightened or impatient. Good discipline was not unknown of course but more rare than many would believe.

Ah, I see good Sir... but may I politely remind Sir that whilst thou was referring to mere unwashed scum and rabble, my humble self had the King's Royal Redcoats in mind.... It is as they say back home at my cottage in Essex, only....*hrmm*... less gentlemanly brawlers who stand shaking in the face of four aimed shots a minute.

Huzzah!

[KozaK13]

Discipline is something fairly overlooked i think. It is what made the roman army the way it was. It is what helped alexander conquer persis. It is what aided prussia to acendance. It is what helped Napolean conquer europe (de facto). With out discipline noe of this would have happened...

I hope that is is somehow implimented...like there comes a point when you can no longer control your men's rate of fire.

[Polemists]

They have mentioned that drilling is a tech, so I think discipline is part of the technology tree.

So like I said, if you want to focus on infantry, your units may fire in unison. Keep in mind even if they don't, you can select 4, 8, or however many units and just click fire button, so you don't have to click on each unit indivdually and give the command. Also you can hit P for pause and then click it.

So yes, you can focus on discipline rather then infrastructure or education, just don't be surprised when your men are very organized but don't know which way to point the musket :)

[USS Providence 1972]

They have mentioned that drilling is a tech, so I think discipline is part of the technology tree.

So like I said, if you want to focus on infantry, your units may fire in unison. Keep in mind even if they don't, you can select 4, 8, or however many units and just click fire button, so you don't have to click on each unit indivdually and give the command. Also you can hit P for pause and then click it.

So yes, you can focus on discipline rather then infrastructure or education, just don't be surprised when your men are very organized but don't know which way to point the musket :)

That's interesting. I'm guessing you develop drilling as a discipline and then your troops are able to fire by rank. I would also guess that the ability to form squares has to be drilled. Experience probably then makes them more accurate and speeds up the reload time, as well as better at hand to hand.

I wonder if there will also be drills for the iron men on the wooden ships.

[Fisherking]

That's interesting. I'm guessing you develop drilling as a discipline and then your troops are able to fire by rank. I would also guess that the ability to form squares has to be drilled. Experience probably then makes them more accurate and speeds up the reload time, as well as better at hand to hand.

I wonder if there will also be drills for the iron men on the wooden ships.

One of the things I saw in a review was that the starting cartridge boxes held twenty rounds and it was hinted that that could go up.

It seems a strange tech to me.

Not like the commander says, alright boys, this could be a long day. I want each man carrying 60 rounds into battle.

I could understand if it was loading buck and ball in the cartridges or other special shot, but the number of rounds?

Ship technologies I hope will prove to be more substantial. Copper bottoms comes to mind…a long held British Military Secret.